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This post will conclude my six week long Philippines & Micronesia project. I intended to see the Taal Volcano as I've been in Manila since Monday morning, but my large diving bag did not arrive with my flight from Chuuk via Guam. So instead of taking photos of Taal Volcano, I've spent three days waiting for all my diving gear and clothes to arrive at my hotel. Guam airport is not a favourite of mine due to several reasons and that's where my diving bag went missing.

My photo above from 13 January 2017, pictures me inside the Japanese Mitsubishi G4M "Betty" bomber. This aircraft was designed in 1939 for the Imperial Japanese Navy and was quite successful during the early part of the war, mostly due to its speed, long range and good carrying capacity. However, their unprotected fuel tanks proved to be their greatest weakness, and even leading to death of famous Admiral Yamamoto ambushed while aboard one flying out of New Caledonia on 18 April 1943.

This particular Mitsubishi G4M failed to make the runway at Eten island and crashed into the sea, where it now lies upright at 18m. The propellers were still spinning when it hit the water, and are found some 50m in front of the rest of the aircraft. There is a large entrance where the cockpit used to be, but one can also enter the fuselage through the waist gun ports on both sides. This is an interesting dive that will use less than half a tank of air.

My photo above is from 13 January 2017. The Japanese Kawanishi H8K "Emily" flying boat was known for its long range and nicknamed the "Flying Porcupine" because it was very difficult to shoot down, as it had self-sealing fuel tanks and internal fire extinguishers. With a 38m wingspan, this is the largest aircraft wreck in Chuuk Lagoon. The four 1850 horsepower Mitsubishi Kasei engines are all still on the aircraft, and a swim beneath the aircrafts wing is recommended! There are plenty of details to look at on the aircraft and close by on the seafloor.

This particular aircraft was bringing back the Japanese Commanding Officer of the Fourth Fleet, his Chief of Staff and other senior Japanese Naval Officers from a meeting in Palau. Fighter aircrafts from the US navy intercepted this Kawanishi H8K "Emily" flying boat, attacking it repeatedly. The pilot still managed to escape the enemy and return to Truk Lagoon, although while trying to land the damaged aircraft the pilot lost control and it crashed and sank. The pilot, Admiral and Chief of Staff survived.

Yamagiri Maru was built during 1938 by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries as a passenger and cargo carrier for the Yamashita Kisen Line, and was launched on 3 May 1939. In September 1941 the Imperial Japanese Navy took control of her and converted her to a military transport for moving special cargo, and she served transporting war material between the Solomon Islands and the Caroline Islands until she was hit with two torpedoes from USS Drum in 1943. The repair can still be seen on the port side of hold number two.

My photo above from 14 January 2017, pictures the huge 46cm shells found on Yamagiri Maru for world's largest naval guns fitted on world's largest battleships: Yamato and her sister ship Musashi. The Yamagiri Maru was sunk by dive bombers from the carriers USS Yorktown and Bunker Hill. They reported several hits and left a huge hole portside amidships that took her down quickly, killing most of her crew. One engineer's skull and body were driven by the blasts into a storeroom's screens and can be seen there still today. Yamagiri Maru lies on her port side at a depth of 30m.

My last dive in Chuuk Lagoon was the large Kiyosumi Maru, as she lies on her port side on the seafloor at 35m. I had some bad luck with my main camera as it shut down at the start of this dive, leaving me with a lot less footage of this wreck than intended. Half way into the dive I noticed it and switched on my second camera, and managed to get some footage of Kiyosumi Maru. This was of course disappointing to say the least, but I did get some pictures of her totally devastated superstructure, personal items and sake bottles. My photo above from the Kiyosumi Maru on 14 January 2017.

She was laid down in 1933 at the Kawasaki Dockyard as a passenger-cargo vessel for the Kokusai Kisen Kaisha company, launched on 30 June 1934, and named on 5 October the same year. The Japanese navy took control of her in September 1941 and converted here into an armed merchant cruiser, fitting her with 150mm guns, torpedo tubes and anti-aircraft guns. During the Battle of Midway she acted as a troop carrier. On 3 November 1943 she was damaged in an air raid, on 1 January 1944 she was hit by three torpedoes from a submarine and towed to Truk Lagoon. Kiyosumi Maru was sunk by US dive bombers on 18 February 1944 in Operation Hailstone, while still undergoing repairs.

My photo from Chuuk Lagoon above is from 13 January 2017. Here's an idea that will save time and money: Combine the three aircraft wrecks as they are quite close to each other. Start to freedive the Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" that lies upside down (see previous post), then move on to the Mitsubishi G4M "Betty" and do a tank dive, as with the large four engine Kawanishi H8K "Emily" flying boat last.

That's exactly what I did and found it being quite pleasant covering three aircrafts in one single afternoon that way. The reason for this approach is simply that freediving is more physically demanding than tank dives, and should therefor be the first dive. A single tank is needed between the Mitsubishi G4M "Betty" and the Kawanishi H8K "Emily", spending some 15-20 minutes on each one of them should be enough.

- In six hours I'll be on my way to Stockholm, Sweden, via Beijing, China.

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Posted by Jean Dar Sun, January 22, 2017 10:31:38

I would today find the Saipan-Chuuk-Yap combo giving most value for money in Micronesia, and arguably in the World, as it can be well organised in three weeks. Yap has got all the same pelagics, corals etc as in Palau, but at less than half the rate compared to Palau's costly accommodation.

Flights to Saipan are available from Guam or South Korea, Yap from either Guam or Palau and Chuuk can be reached from Guam or Pohnpei. The US$ is the currency in all of Micronesia. Guam is only interesting for me as a cheaper location to progress in PADI diving certification or for flight transfers, not as a diving destination on its own.

Posted by Rami Thu, January 19, 2017 21:08:17

...completing the Saipan-Chuuk ultimate dive combo! 😎

Posted by Rami Thu, January 19, 2017 21:06:04

Thanks for sharing the highlights of your trip, it's been a pleasure following your updates in all those awesome locations both on land and underwater.The downside of all this is that now I real have to start saving money for

Jean Dar

One worldOne lifeOne moment

I have a passion for travelling, having visited multiple countries on six continents for longer or shorter periods throughout the years. My interests include a wide array of areas, spanning from creativity to scientific matters and culinary delights to physiology and beyond.

I speak fluently English and Swedish, and at best I do fairly well in Spanish, and less well in French.